Emigration hits GAA clubs hard

AS emigration continues to hit GAA clubs across the county, two clubs have been forced to withdraw teams from this season’s hurling competitions.

Both Wolfe Tones and Clooney-Quin have withdrawn from the intermediate hurling grade, citing emigration as the main reason for their drop in numbers.
Last year, Wolfe Tones had three adult hurling teams competing at senior, intermediate and junior grades. This year, they will compete in the senior and junior B championships after Brian and Gary O’Connell, John Coen, Jamie Roughan, Jamie Walker, Sean Cahill Johnnie Bridges and Sean Condren were listed amongst those to have emigrated.
Clooney-Quin, who had four adult teams last year, have explained that 11 players have emigrated while a further two are unavailable due to long-term injuries.
A few years back, they had agreed to play at intermediate level despite not winning the junior A title, which would have earned them promotion.
“We haven’t the players due to emigration and we simply can’t field,” Clooney-Quin’s PJ Cunningham told this week’s Clare GAA County Board meeting.